Merit pay will not lure or keep teachers

Letter to the Editor - Idaho Statesman 1/27/2008

Public schools are not structured to effectively utilize a pay-for-performance model. There is no direct, immediate correlation between excellent teaching and school revenues to fund a performance-pay system. Furthermore, the National Research Council has reported that there is virtually no predictive validity of performance appraisal measures, tools, and approaches for measures of organizational effectiveness.

Pay-for-performance models anticipate that employee motivation is enhanced and the level of desired performance is increased when employees understand performance goals and view them as attainable within the limitation of the organization; see a clear connection between performance and pay increases that is consistently communicated and followed by the organization; and, the pay increase is meaningful to the employee.

There are many variables to student learning and so far no verifiable correlations to teacher performance and pay. Performance rewards are only available if economic conditions generate sufficient revenues, the school board (or Legislature) agrees to appropriate funds toward teacher salaries, and the principal says that merit was earned by the teacher during that particular rating period. Implementing pay-for-performance will not attract and retain the best and brightest to become teachers in Idaho.